Summary
Sherlock Holmesis, without a doubt, the most enduring figure in the world of mystery and crime-solving.The pipe-smoking detective and his loyal assistant Watsonhave been imprinted into the psyche of modern society through various mediums, including spinoff books, films, TV shows, and video games, and, quite frankly, the public still can’t get enough.
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Players can now truly live out their innerSherlock Holmesfantasies to solve various cases by using new technology and gameplay mechanisms, either solo or with friends. From social deductionparty gamesto game experiences involving an evil mastermind, these games can truly immerse gamers in the thrill of the hunt.
Updated July 31, 2025, by Via Erhard:Detective board game fans can get ready to don their detective cap and unleash their inner Sherlock Holmes as they get whisked away on thrilling, mind-bending adventures that are perfect for parties as well as family gatherings. These chilling games are perfect for beginners and seasoned pros alike since they’re able to seamlessly blend mystery, strategy, and storytelling while also keeping their players engaged at all times. In these mystery-filled crime board games, players can dive into captivating narratives filled with suspense and intrigue.
During their adventures, players will become detectives who have to work together or against each other to solve crimes and uncover hidden secrets. Players will also have to decipher clues, piece together information, and use their deductive reasoning to crack the case. However,detective board gamesaren’t just about fun since they’re incredibly useful for improving problem-solving skills, teamwork, and critical thinking in a fun and entertaining way.
1MicroMacro: Crime City
MicroMacro: Crime Citylets mystery fans step into the shoes of a detective and sharpen their observation skills. It’s one of the mostexciting crime gamesand the ultimate challenge for board game fans of all ages. In this family-friendly deduction game, players will dive into the heart of Crime City, where crimes have run rampant.
The players' mission is to solve sixteen intriguing cases that will test their investigative skills. Players will be exploring a massive city map that spans 75 x 110 cm. As fans embark on their journey, they’ll have to uncover hidden information, trace the movements of suspects, and piece together the puzzle. The city map is not just a geographical playground but a timeline too, making it a brain-teasing adventure. No matter if board game fans want to tackle the cases card by card or dive straight into the action becauseMicroMacro: Crime Cityguarantees endless hours of thrilling detective fun.
2The Search for Planet X
Thanks to The Search for Planet X, players can embark on a cosmic adventure that’s part detective work, part brain-teasing puzzle. In this fascinating sci-fi game, board game fans can channel their inner astronomer and embark on a quest to find a mysterious planet lurking at the edge of our solar system.
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Players can become intrepid space detectives armed with an app that randomly scatters celestial objects and the elusive Planet X across the cosmos. As Earth makes its orbit, gamers will have to scan the skies, attend cosmic conferences, and gather intel to crack the celestial code. Players will have to race against time as well as their fellow astronomers as they try to pinpoint Planet X’s hiding spot. During their adventures, players will also get to publish their groundbreaking theories, score big points, and even launch a search mission and aim for cosmic glory.
3Blood on the Clocktower (2022)
Detective board game fans will be transported to the spine-tingling village of Ravenswood Bluff, where darkness lurks and suspicion runs rampant.Blood on the Clocktoweris one of the mostthrilling party gamesthat channel players' inner detective while immersing them in a chilling mystery story.
As the clock strikes midnight, a horrifying scream pierces the night, and the town storyteller lies murdered, impaled on the hands of the clocktower. Soon, players find out that a demon stalks the village and tries to conceal its malevolence behind a human facade by day and commit heinous acts by night. This entertaining detective game can be played by up to twenty players who will be divided into teams of Good and Evil. The Good team will have to work to deduce and eliminate the demons before they overwhelm the town. While the Evil team has to bring as much mischief, chaos, and murder as they can.
4Chronicles of Crime: 2400
Chronicles of Crime: 2400is one of the best detectiveboard games for adultsand teens who love beautifully designed sci-fi games with great stories. This stunning cooperative mystery board game transports its players into a futuristic Paris where they’ll get to step into the shoes of Kalia.
Even though Kalia was a highly trained cyber agent, she decided to leave her previous agency, which only cared about money but not the people. Now, Kalia fights crime on her own and helps those who need it the most. Thanks to this story-rich mystery board game, players can explore a unique story while solving crimes and uncovering mysteries.
5Escape Tales: The Awakening
Escape Tales: The Awakeningis a great choice for those board game fans who love supernatural mysteries and ghost stories. It’s a more mature mystery board game with horror elements and dark mysteries. This immersive mystery board game also has challenging puzzles and a captivating story.
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Players will get to step into the shoes of a desperate father who is trying to find a way to wake her daughter up from a coma. After he meets with a man, he is given a book that will help him visit another dimension. Gamers will get to explore this haunting realm while solving puzzles and uncovering a shocking mystery.
6Destinies
Destiniesis one of the best RPG-likemodern board gamesthat transports its viewers into a dark medieval-fantasy world where they’ll get to step into the shoes of heroes who have to go on dangerous quests and solve dark mysteries if they want to fulfill their destinies.
Destinieshas a brilliantly crafted world, and players will be able to enjoy a story-driven and epic adventure as well as meet NPCs while exploring the game’s fantasy land. It’s also one of the most competitive adventure mystery board games with thrilling dark stories that’ll be entertaining for adults and teens as well.
7Detective: City of Angels – Smoke and Mirrors
Detective: City of Angels – Smoke and Mirrorsis a fantastic choice for players who love classic detective board games and are looking for new challenges. Players will get to test their deductive skills since they’ll have to solve difficult cases that are challenging not just for teens but adults, too.
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Detective: City of Angels – Smoke and Mirrorsis one of the best new murder mystery board games with a retro vibe that lets players become detectives and go on a difficult journey while trying to solve the four challenging cases of the game.
8Tragedy Looper
ImagineSherlock Holmesbut set in Japan with time travel. Hailed as a scenario-based deductionboard game for up to players,Tragedy Looperis a standard one vs. all affair. The game puts players in a scenario in which one player becomes the evil mastermind whilst the others must work together to foil the mastermind’s actions. Roles are kept secret, and the game opens up to four location boards and several character cards.
The game can be seen as a marriage ofSherlock Holmeswith the Japanese light novel/animeRe: Zero.The mastermind will trigger tragedies that will occur via cards, whilst the other players will be able to loop back in time to figure out the culprit and reason why the tragedy occurred. Players attempting to stop the mastermind win if they can mitigate the number of tragedies and figure them out. Meanwhile, the mastermind comes out on top should the others encounter their tragedies or run out of loops.
9Watson And Holmes
Set in the amazing world created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,Watson and Holmesis a game for up to seven aspiring detectives who must step into the shoes of Dr. Watson. Working alongside Holmes, players must scrutinize and attempt to connect the dots using Watson’s diaries.
The game features several cases set in the Victorian world. Players will visit locations within the game, unravel clues, and, hopefully, be the first to solve the mystery. The game involves players working together, but only one will emerge as Sherlock’s protege.
10Chronicles Of Crime
Chronicles of Crimeis a deduction game for up to four players and involves crime-solvingwith an app. Players will select a scenario and attempt to catch the killer in the shortest time possible. Using Scan&Play technology, each component has a unique QR code that will trigger different clues and branching narratives.
The game can also be played in VR if activated by a player’s phone. Players will need VR glasses to immerse themselves in a crime-filled virtual world. The base game itself comes with a tutorial case and five scenarios, but more stories are always being added, allowing players to truly roleplay as modern-day detectives.
